Driving-gear jor traction-wheels



G. C. ANDREWS.

DRIVING GEAR FOR TRACTION WHEELS- APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4. 1911.

1,31 1,943. Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

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G- C. ANDREWS.

DRIVING GEAR FOR TRACTION WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4. 19)].

1, 1 1,943. Patmdmlg' 5.1919

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, p UNITE GEORGE C. ANDREWS, F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

DRIVING-GEAR FOR TRACTION-WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

Original application filed August 21, 1914, Serial No. 857,853. Divided and this application filed September 4, 1917. Serial No. 189,663.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon C. ANDREWS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driving- Gears for Traction-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to driving gears for traction wheels of traction engines and similar driven members wherein it is necessary for a large amount of power to be applied to the drive gear. It is a special object of my invention to provide for a driving gear a form of ring gear which may be attached to the sides or spokes of a traction wheel or similar driving element, and which has features that peculiarly adapt it for such use. One of the functions which such a gear must perform is the ready cleaning of clay, dirt, etc., from between the teeth of the gear.

My driving gear is so constructed that there are free openings extending through to the rear of the teeth, the walls of which openings are flared away from one another so that any portion of dirt which passes into the opening may certainly be discharged from the driving gear.

This application is a division of application Serial Number 857,853, filed August 21, 1914.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description of the same and are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating the application of my invention in one form,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a traction wheel having my drive wheel applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a similar side elevation partly in section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section through the gear between a pair of teeth. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a cast iron pulley or wheel having my drive gear formed in con-' nection therewith. Fig. 5 is a similar elevation of Fig. 4. I

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a traction wheel is shown formed of sheet metal and having hub portions 11 operating upon a shaft 12. The wheel comprising in addition to the rim portion 10 side portions 13 and 14. To the side portion 14 is secured a ring 15.- A second ring 16 is integrally connected with ring by means of transverse bars 17, which bars are spaced to leave apertures 18 through which the teeth 20 of a pinion 21 may extend. Transverse bars 17 are beveled at both sides as indicated at 22 and 23 in Fig. 2. This makes the apertures 18 smallest at the center and flaring outwardly toward the inside of the gear ring. Also, as shown in Fig. 3, the rings 15 and 16 have their inner walls 24 and 25 flaring away from one another toward the inside.

For this reason the openings 18 tend to grow larger toward their inner portion and any earth or pebbles or other material which gets within such openings will readily be discharged backward through the same. The gear members are formed in sections as particularly shown in Fig. 2 and are provided with engaging end flanges 26 and 27 which are secured by bolts 28. The entire gear formed by rings 15, 16 and crossbars 17 may be of the same diameter as the traction wheel 10 to which it is secured by a multiplicity of bolts 29 which extend through the rings 15 and 16 and the head 14, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a pulley or traction wheel is cast integral with spokes 41 which run to hub 42, turning on shaft 12. Rims 43 and 44 are integrally cast with the wheel 40, being connected by teeth 45 which are integrally cast with the rim, so that the wheel 40 and the gear designated generally by reference numeral 46 are formed as one casting. The crossbars or teeth 45 are formed in exactly the same way as the similar member 17 of Figs. 1 and 2, so that the Openings 47 between said teeth and the rims 43 and 44 are of the same character as the openings 18 of Figs. 1 and 2.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent. A drive gear may be employed in connection with a traction wheel having the same diameter as the traction wheel, thus giving the longest lever arm and applying the power to the traction wheel for its application to the traction surface over which the traction engine is being propelled. in the most eflicient possible manner. The gear itself thus becomes a part of the traction ele ment. Clogging or filling with dirt or other obstructions is prevented by reason of the open apertures 18 or 47 between the teeth, and further by the fact that these apertures are expanded inwardly or toward the center of the wheel, thusinsurin discharge of maeland self-cleaning or the teeth. Fifithermore, since the teeth are formed with the natural bevel to a point substantially at the annular center of the rims, and said teeth extend backward With a reverse bevel to the outer edge of the rims, the normal .tgoth-engaging portion is reinforced the inwardly-extending portion, thus enormously strengthening therin'g' gear and 'inaking it practicable to employ it'in connection with a traction wheel of the same diameter as the ring gear, so that the gear thus becomes a part of the traetion element and its Weight and the fli tel' tle qd ed t ein th s p r: forms the double function of a drive gear and a part of the traction wheel I laim =1 7 A d i ng gea comp si g a pair of. an nular rims, and tooth members extending across between the rims and uniting the same, said tooth members having reversely beveled side Walls for. engagement with the teeth of a driving pinion so that the apertures separating the tooth members extend hrou h betwee the and are larger at theinner side of said apertures.

2. A driving ear comprising a pair of annular meet an tooth members extending across between the rims and uniting the samefsa'id tooth members having reversely bin l d ide Wall fo ngagement with th teeth t a driving pinion so that the apertures separating the tooth members extend through between the rimsand are larger at theinner side of said apertures, the adj aeent Walls of said rims also flaring away from on ano her tow rd he inside of the gear for f r her expan i g the opening toward he inside o permit ready cleaning of s d gea 7 In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my ignature 1 V GEORGE G. ANDREWS.

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